KASILOF RIVER Salmon Fishing and Dipnetting Trips

When we go to the Kasilof river, we have to drive about 523 miles from Fairbanks. It usually takes a full day drive for us to get there. It takes time but the trip down there is normally great no matter if we get our limit or not. We used go to the Kenai river but since we found out about Kasilof river, we would go to both rivers, since they are only 26 miles apart. 

Salmon in Kasilof river are a lot smaller than the Kenai, but still a good red salmon. Kasilof river was not as developed or organized as the Kenai. When we first fish in Kasilof river we went to south side. 

South side is pretty area but windy, sandy and sand dunes are everywhere. The road is a little hard to drive on, it's very sandy. We got stuck once but love the people in Alaska, always ready to lend a helping hand. We stayed 2 nights there on one trip and 1 night on another. We normally stayed at Centennial campground in Soldotna but sometimes we can't because they are full.

Last year fishing trip to Kasilof river, we went with friends and they arrived early and waited for us in the north side of the Kasilof river. The community built a nice parking lot, provided trash bins, as well as porta potty. No cost for us last year but they may start charging this year.

Weekend is not a good idea go to dipnetting there because it will get crowded. I mean shoulder to shoulder. I was glad we went there during weekdays. It was Saturday morning when we packed up and left. The place was packed!

I took so many pictures throughout my fishing trip down there with family. I have some of them below, please enjoy!

Here is the link for information you need to know before going there to fish Kasilof River Salmon and Kenai River Salmon  

View of Kasilof River

We had to take our boat up river by the bridge because there is no public boat launch at the mouth of the Kasilof river. 

Going down the river

People enjoying their time fishing up river

View of the north side of the mouth of Kasilof river.

Commercial fishing boats - we can get our salmon limit in a day or two if these boats are tied down here and not running, scooping most of the salmon in the ocean. 

It was a great day, I caught a lot fish 

It was because these boats are hunkered down.

Birds are happy too when people catch and clean the fish right there.

We were fishing on the shore. That's my husband busy with bonking both our fish.

Dipnetting can be boring, there's a lot of waiting involved

My Sandy the dog was also enjoying the trip 

Thats me cleaning out fish guts

It started to rain but still fishing or dipnetting for salmon 

Fishing through the night. This was taken 10:47pm

Sunrise Fishing at 4:16 am. I don't know if this people went to bed at all.  This was at the south side of the river.

Sunset behind the mountains

My son Alan was having a great time at the beach. Behind him is the Cook Inlet and the view of Mt. Redoubt 

Alan found a new friend and played in the sand

View of the Cook Inlet and Mt. Redoubt from our tent. It was really nice waking up to this view. I love it!

The new parking lot at the north side river mouth

Protecting the dunes from vehicles. Camping is allowed though. 

Alan was busy playing with other kids 

Someone got married there too

Don't worry they are all pretty much full

Few dumpsters

It was raining and the tide was really high, this was at the top of the bank in north side of river mouth. These were the people who camped behind several campers but now they're in front of the river. It's like global warming :-)

Rain or shine, low tide or high tide, can't stop this people from catching salmon

Yep we stayed here for two nights

When commercial fishing is open, we just have to sit back and relax

Mt, Redoubt and the Cook Inlet - view from the north side of Kasilof river mouth

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